Business A Changing World Canadian 6th Edition by Ferrell Hirt Iskander Mombourquette Solution Manual

Chapter 02 - Business Ethics and Social Responsibility
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Chapter 2 Business Ethics and Social Responsibility
OBJECTIVES
1. Define business ethics and social responsibility, and examine their importance in business.
2. Detect some of the ethical issues that may arise in business.
3. Specify how businesses can promote ethical behavior.
4. Explain the four dimensions of social responsibility.
5. Debate an organization’s social responsibilities to owners, employees, consumers, the environment
and the community.
KEY TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
bribes Payments, gifts, or special favors intended to influence the outcome of a decision.
business ethics The principles and standards that determine acceptable conduct in business.
codes of ethics Formalized rules and standards that describe what a company expects of its
employees.
consumerism The activities that independent individuals, groups, and organizations undertake to
protect their rights as consumers.
corporate
citizenship
The extent to which businesses meet the legal, ethical, economic, and voluntary
responsibilities placed on them by their stakeholders.
ethical issue An identifiable problem, situation, or opportunity that requires a person to choose
from among several actions that may be evaluated as right or wrong, ethical or
unethical.
plagiarism The act of taking someone else’s work and presenting it as your own without
mentioning the source.
social
responsibility
A business’s obligation to maximize its positive impact and minimize its negative
impact on society.
whistleblowing The act of an employee exposing an employer’s wrongdoing to outsiders, such as
the media or government regulatory agencies.
LECTURE OUTLINE AND NOTES
I. Business Ethics and Social Responsibility
A. Business ethics refers to the principles and standards that determine acceptable
conduct in business organizations.
B. The acceptability of business behaviors is determined by customers,

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competitors, government regulators, interest groups, and the public, as well as
each
C. individual’s personal principles and values.
D. Social responsibility refers to a business’s obligation to maximize its positive
impact and minimize its negative impact on society.
E. The terms social responsibility and business ethics are not interchangeable:
business ethics refers to an individual’s or work group’s decisions that society
evaluates as right or wrong, whereas social responsibility is a broader concept
that concerns the impact of the entire business’s activities on society.
F. The most basic ethical and social responsibility concerns have been codified as
laws and regulations that encourage businesses to conform to society’s
standards, values, and attitudes.
1. Most legal issues arise as choices that society deems unethical,
irresponsible, or otherwise unacceptable.
2. All actions deemed unethical are not necessarily illegal, and both legal and
ethical concerns change over time.
3. Business ethics, social responsibility, and laws together act as a compliance
system requiring that businesses and employees act responsibly in society.
I. The Role of Ethics in Business
1. If society judges an action to be unethical or wrong, whether correctly or not,
that judgment directly affects an organization’s ability to achieve its goals.
2. Well-publicized incidents of unethical and illegal activity strengthen the
public’s perceptions that ethical standards and the level of trust in business need
to be raised.
1. Charges of misconduct often start as ethical conflicts but evolve into legal
disputes when cooperative conflict resolution cannot be accomplished.
2. Many activities deemed unethical by society have been outlawed through
legislation.
3. Business ethics goes beyond legal issues, and ethical conduct builds trust
among individuals and business relationships.
4. Ethical issues are not limited to for-profit organizations; they also occur in
government, science, sports, and nonprofit organizations.
II. Recognizing Ethical Issues in Business
1. An ethical issue is an identifiable problem, situation, or opportunity that
requires a person or organization to choose from several actions that may
be evaluated as right or wrong, ethical or unethical.
a. In business, such choice often involves weighing monetary profit
against what a person considers appropriate conduct.
b. A person often needs several years of experience in business to
understand what is acceptable or ethical.
c. Ethics is related to the culture in which a business operates.

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d. Many ethical issues involve abusive and intimidating behavior,
conflicts of interest, fairness and honesty, communications, and
business associations.
2. Bullying
a. Abusive and/or intimidating behavior in the workplace in the most
common ethical problem for employees
b. Goes beyond yelling and insults to discrediting other’s behavior;
blocking communications; taking credit for other’s work; using
demeaning spoken or body language
3. Conflict of Interest
a. Conflicts of interest exist when a person must choose whether to
advance the interest of the business or his or her own interests.
b. To avoid conflicts of interest, employees must be able to separate their
personal financial interests from their business dealings.
c. Bribes are payments, gifts, or special favors intended to influence the
outcome of a decision. A bribe is a conflict of interest because it
benefits an individual at the expense of an organization or society.
4. Fairness and Honesty
a. Fairness and honesty are at the heart of business ethics, and relate to
the general values of decision makers.
b. Businesspeople are expected not only to obey to the law, but also not
to harm customers, employees, or competitors through deception,
misrepresentation, coercion, or discrimination.
c. Fairness to competitors and disclosure of potential harm caused by
product use are some aspects of fairness.
5. Communications
a. False and misleading advertising and deceptive selling tactics anger
customers and can lead to business failure.
b. Some manufacturers fail to provide enough information for consumers
about differences between products or product safety.
c. Product labeling may raise ethical concerns and questions about basic
rights of freedom of speech and expression.
6. Plagiarism
a. Taking someone else’s work and presenting it as your own
b. A widespread ethical issue

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7. Making Decisions About Ethical Issues
a. A decision maker in business may have difficulty recognizing ethical
issues, and managers tend to be more concerned about issues that affect
those close to them or have immediate rather than long-term
consequences.
b. Open discussion of ethical issues does help to promote trust and
openness.
III. Improving Ethical Behavior in Business
1. Ethical decisions in an organization are influenced by three key factors:
individual moral standards, the influence of managers and coworkers, and
the opportunity to engage in misconduct.
a. Co-workers and superiors exert significant control over individual
choices at work through authority and example.
b. If the company fails to provide good examples and standards and
policies for appropriate conduct, conflict may develop and employees
may base decisions on how their peers and superiors behave.
2. Codes of ethics are formalized rules and standards that describe what a
company expects of its employees.
a. Codes of ethics do not have to be overly detailed but they should
provide guidelines and principles that can help employees achieve
objectives and address risks in an acceptable and legal way.
b. Codes of ethics, policies on ethics, and ethics training programs
advance ethical behavior because they prescribe which activities are
acceptable and which are not, and they limit the opportunity for
misconduct by providing punishments for violations of standards and
rules.
3. Ethics programs should include a means through which employees can
report observed misconduct anonymously.
4. Lack of anonymous reporting mechanisms may encourage
whistleblowing, which occurs when an employee exposes an employer’s
wrongdoing to outsiders, such as the media or government regulatory
agencies. Businesses are encouraging employees to report illegal and
unethical practices internally so they can take steps to remedy problems
before they result in legal action or negative publicity.
5. The current trend is to move away from legally based initiatives in
organizations to cultural- or integrity-based initiatives that make ethics a
part of core organizational values.
IV. IV. The Nature of Social Responsibility
A. There are four dimensions of social responsibility: economic, legal, ethical, and
voluntary.
B. Economic responsibility means earning profits.
a. Legal responsibility means complying with the law.
b. Voluntary responsibilities are non-required activities that promote human welfare or
goodwill.

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C. Corporate citizenship is the extent to which businesses meet the legal, ethical,
economic, and voluntary responsibilities placed on them by their stakeholders.
V. Although the concept of social responsibility is receiving more and more
attention, it is still not universally accepted.
A. Social Responsibility Issues
1. Relations with Owners and Stockholders
a. Businesses must be responsible to their owners who are primarily
concerned with earning a profit or a return on investment in a company.
b. This responsibility is more easily fulfilled in small businesses than in
large businesses.
c. A business’s responsibility to its owners and investors includes
maintaining proper accounting procedures, providing all relevant
information, protecting the owners’ rights and investments, and
maximizing the owners’ investment in the firm.
2. Employee Relations
a. Employees expect businesses to provide them a safe workplace, to pay
them adequately for their work, and to tell them what is happening in
their company.
b. Many of the laws regulating safety in the workplace are enforced by
the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
c. Labor unions have also made significant contributions to achieving
safety in the workplace and improving wages and benefits.
d. A major social responsibility for business is providing equal
opportunities for all employees regardless of sex, age, race, religion, or
nationality.
3. Consumer Relations
a. Consumerism involves the activities that independent individuals,
groups, and organizations undertake to protect their rights as
consumers. Consumer activities include writing letters to companies,
lobbying government agencies, making public service announcements,
and boycotting companies.
b. The right to be informed gives consumers the freedom to review
complete information about a product before they buy it.
c. The right to choose ensures that consumers have access to a variety of
products and services at competitive prices.
4. Environmental Issues. Environmental responsibility has become a leading
issue as businesses and the public acknowledge the damage done to the
environment in the past.
a. Animal rights are an environmental issue concerned with the testing of
cosmetics and drugs on animals.
b. Pollution
1) Water pollution results from the dumping of contaminants into
water resources and the burial of waste and contaminants in the
ground,

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2) affecting underground water supplies.
3) Air pollution is the contamination of the air by smoke,
manufacturing pollutants, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons
emitted by motor vehicles. Acid rain is a byproduct of air pollution.
4) Land pollution—which is tied directly to water pollution because
many of the contaminants dumped on the land work their way into
the water supply—results from the dumping of residential and
industrial waste, strip mining, forest fires, and poor forest
conservation.
c. Response to Environmental Issues
1) Partly in response to federal legislation such as the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and partly due to consumer
concerns, businesses are responding to environmental issues by
trying to eliminate wasteful practices and harmful chemicals, using
“green” power sources, and recycling.
2) Efforts to make products, packaging, and processes more
environmentally friendly have been labeled “green” business or
marketing by the public and media.
3) Businesses and consumers must weigh the costs of being
environmentally responsible against the health threat posed by
pollution.
5. Community Relations
a. The most common way in which businesses exercise their community
responsibility is through donations to local and national charitable
organizations.
b. Many companies have become concerned about the quality of
education in the Canada. Thus, they donate funds, equipment, and time
to help schools and provide scholarship money.
c. Business is also taking more responsibility for the hard-core
unemployed.
BOXED TEXT DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
OPENING CASE DESTINATION CEO DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. The Keystone Project has been in the news for the past few years. Prior to reading the
opening case what was your opinion and knowledge of the issues at hand. After reading the case
do you think TransCanada Corp has acted ethically throughout the process?
Answers will vary, students should be able to defend their answers.
2. TransCanada Corp has been relying on facts to argue the merits of Keystone XL while many
opponents have been making emotional arguments. What are some of the advantages and
disadvantaged of TransCanada's approach.

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Answers will vary, students should be able to defend their answers. Students may note that by only
sticking to the facts Trans Canada is allowing others to make an emotional appeal witch is enabling
them to be successful in stopping the pipeline.
3. Given what you have read in the opening case do you think Keystone XL will be approved for
development?
Answers will vary, students should be able to defend their answers. Students should note that the
pipeline has many factors in its favour including the creation of jobs, economic spinoffs and the high
demand for oil in the U.S. Others may state that public opinion is so strong against the pipeline it is
unlikely to be built.
Consider the Following: The Occupy Movement
1. Some people in the Occupy Movement argued the practice of business itself is unethical. Do
you agree or disagree?
Answers will vary.
2. Do you think law enforcement agencies were right to tear down camps? Why or why not?
Answers will vary. Students may note that the protestors were peacful and in Canada you have a right
to protest. Others may note that the camps were becoming unsanitary and the protestors were using
public land keeping it from public use.
3. Some protestors fought back when police officers came to evict them from their camps
inlcuding physically confronting officers and throwing objects. Do you think protestors were
acting ethically? Why or why not?
Answers will vary.
4. Do you think minimum wage should be raised in your province? Why or why not? What are
some of the potential pros and cons of setting a higher minimum wage?
Answers will vary. Students may note that this will enable people a higher standard of living. One
negative point which may arise is the extra cost for companies which may negatively impact
employment rates.
The Case of Valeant Pharmaceuticals
1. Is Valeant Pharmaceuticals an ethical company? Why or why not? Would you invest in the
company based on its business model?
Answers will vary. Students may note that it may not be considered socially responsible behavior to
significantly increase the price of drugs which people need.

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2. Do you think governments should regulate the prices that companies can charge for drugs?
Why or why not?
Answers will vary.
3. What are some of the arguments for charging high drug prices?
Answers will vary. Students may note developing drugs can take a significant amount of time and
resources.
4. The discussions about Valeant and ethics are likely to continue for years to come. Use Internet
resources to review the current state of the company and whether any governments have started
to regulate their pricing practices. Update the class on what you have found.
Answers will vary.
Consider the Following: Are Social Media Sites Fair Game for Employees
1. In a recent survey, 40 percent of employers admitted to visiting social media sites to pre-
screen applicants who are applying for a job. Of the employers who pre-screen candidates, over
70 percent of them will not allow prospective applicants to explain questionable behaviour they
see online. These companies simply remove the person from the pool of candidates they are
considering for a job. While most people know that having pictures of yourself engaging in
illegal activity is likely not a good idea for your Facebook page, employers are going even
further than quickly reviewing photos. Many businesses are reading people’s online posts to pre-
determine if they have a good attitude and are friendly. Do you think it’s ethical for companies
to screen potential employees by viewing their social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and
Instagram? Why or why not?
Answers will vary, students may mention that opinions differ on whether information posted on social
media sites are considered public or private domain. Some students will believe that such information
is public domain and to monitor and use such information is fair practice, while others may believe
that such information should be regarded as private by employers as its is not intended for their use.
2. Tom comes to work and looks exhausted during a presentation he is giving to clients. Tom’s
boss later visits Tom’s Facebook page where she discovers he was out partying the night before
the presentation. How should she handle the situation? Should she have visited Tom’s profile to
determine what he was doing the day before the presentation? Why or why not?
Answers will vary. Students may mention that while people using social media sites know for whom
their content is intended, it is easily accessible by the general public , including employers/potential
employers. If information posted is potentially damaging to a career or potential employment, an
individual needs to take into consideration who could access this information, and how could it affect
my career opportunities either today, or in the future. Students may also mention that Tom has the
option to increase his privacy settings so that only selected "friends" can view his Facebook page and
its contents.

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3. A salesperson comes back from a tropical vacation. On her Facebook page she creates a link
to pictures with the title, "Close friends only! My vacation pics." In order to see the vacation
pics you have to click on the link. Her employer logs onto Facebook and visits the salesperson's
profile. She notices the link and clicks on it to view the pictures. She is outraged by the apparent
lack of judgement by one of her employees in engaging in questionable behaviour and then
posting the pictures of the behaviour online. Was it right for her to view the pictures? Would it
be right for her to discipline the employee?
Answers will vary, but students must be able to defend their answers.
4. An employee notes on his Facebook page that his boss is an idiot. The boss finds out about
this through the office grapevine. How should the boss handle the information?
Answers will vary, but students may mention that in this case, the boss did not log onto the employees
Facebook page to find this information. The comment was passed employee to employee by the age-
old office grapevine. The employee must realize that posting such a comment online is equivalent to
saying
Consider the Following: When is Organic Really Organic
1. Do you think the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is doing enough to ensure foods labeled as
organic are actually organic?
2. Would you trust producers not to use pesticides in their operations? Why or why not?
3. Do you think consumers would be willing to pay more for organic food if there was a testing
program in place that ensured the food truly was organic? Why or why not?
Answers will vary, but students must be able to defend their answers. Some students may argue that
organic food is already expensive and it may be priced out of the reach of the average consumer.
Others may argue that there is a market for food that is truly organic and consumers appear to be
willing to pay a premium for these products.
Determining Ethical Behaviour: The Case of Uber in Canada
1. In your opinion, are ride-sharing services like Uber ethical or unethical? Why?
2. Do you think all businesses should follow the same rules? Why or why not?

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3. What are the implications of Uber being considered illegal in Canada? Should Uber riders be
charged with a fine for using the service?
Answers will vary, students should discuss the lack of regulations, the concerns with insurance and if
governments should upregulate the taxi industry.
4. Do you prefer to have some choice in using a taxi or a ride sharing service? Why?
5. Uber is currently in discussions with Intact, one of Canada’s largest insurance companies, to
create ride-sharing insurance. If the insurance is created, should governments allow Uber to
operate as is? Why or why not?
What is Ethical When Bribes are the Norm?
1. Do you think it is ethical to pay a bribe in a country where it is a cultural norm? Why or why
not?
Answers will vary, students should be able to defend their answers. Some students may note that if
something is illegal it unethical. Others may mention that Canadian companies have to do what they
can in order to ensure success when operating in international countries.
2. Do you think 'facilitation payments' should be considered bribes? If you ran a company in a
country where these payments were the norm would you pay them?
3. Do you think Canada's legal system should be investigating crimes such as bribes which occur
in other countries? Why or why not?
Is Helping People Download Music and Videos Wrong?
1. Do you think it is ethical to download music, video and software? Why or why not?
2. Do you think Fung should be penalized for operating a website which helps facilitate the
downloading of music, videos and software?
Answers will vary, students should be able to defend their answers. Students may compare Fung's site
to Google and argue it crosses a line or it is the same as Google and Fung is doing nothing wrong.

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3. In your opinion, is Fung’s argument that the site is similar to Google, Bing, or other search
engines a fair one to make? Why or why not
Consider the Following: Is Facebook Acting Ethically by Making Billions off Your Personal
Information?
1. Do you think people are aware of the amount of personal information being collected by
Facebook? Will awareness hurt the company’s business model? Why or why not?
2. Do you think it’s ethical for Facebook to collect and sell personal information of its roughly
1.5 billion users? Why or why not?
3. Facebook originally stated it would not combine the personal information from Facebook and
Instagram to create even more detailed user profiles. After a brief period, Facebook have gone
back on their word and started to combine user profiles. Is this ethical? Why or why not?
Nestlé’s Commitment to Africa
1 .Do you think that Nestlé’s socially responsible activities today have made up for possible
mistakes involving infant formula in the past?
Answers will vary, students may mention that Nestle is committed, in a wide variety of ways, to
helping people in Africa lead high-quality, healthy lives. Whatever possible mistakes have been made
in the past, Nestle appears to be a company learning from past mistakes, working to better the lives of
not only their more than 11,000 native African employees, but also those of approximately 50,000
other Africans whose employers work directly with Nestle.
2. What has Nestle done to improve its image in Africa?
Nestle is committed to improving the labour standards of farming, promoting African products,
preserving water, creating less waste, and offering nutritional education. They work to help local
farmers improve the quality of their crops and often their incomes. They contribute to the United
Nations' Millennium Development Goals to wipe out extreme poverty and hunger; ensure universal
primary education; promote gender equality and empower women; reduce child mortality; improving
maternal health; fight AIDS/HIV, malaria, and other diseases; work toward environmental
sustainability.
3. What can Nestle do to improve its commitment to Africa?

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Answers will vary, but students may mention some of the following:
In a July 2010 press release, Nestle announced it was investing CHF 150 million in the Equatorial
African Region over the next three years, building new factories in 3 African countries, significantly
expanding its existing factories in 2 others, and opening 13 new distribution facilities. Nestlé will
more than double its work force and create 750 new jobs in Equatorial Africa by 2013.
"Nestlé has signed a partnership with the East African Dairy Development Board to help stakeholders
across the entire value chain, from farm to factory, to bring the milk to desired standards. Some
179,000 farmers are involved in this programme.
Nestlé is preparing the launch of its Global Healthy Kids Programme which aims to improve the
nutrition, health and wellness of school children through better nutrition, greater physical activity, and
other key health measures such as hygiene and sanitation.
Nestlé sponsored a women’s entrepreneurship program. The New Hope Project is aimed at developing
entrepreneurial skills of women in rural DRC and providing them with the opportunity to establish
small businesses selling Nestlé’s products."
Source: www.nestle.com/.../NestleDocuments/.../EAR-Press-Release-250610.pdf
Consider the Following: Canada, the Counterfeiters' Safe Haven
1 Do you think the border patrol should seize products which they know are counterfeit? Why
or why not?
2. Is manufacturing products under another company's label unethical? Should it be
considered illegal?
3. Some Canadian companies such as Canada Goose is investing both time and money trying to
fight knock off versions of their products. Should companies bother to do this? Why or why
not?
Answers will vary, students should be able to defend their answers. Some students may state it could
become costly and most people know the difference between a fake and real product. Other students
may note that companies have to try to stop counterfeiting in order to defend their brand.
Consider the Following: Are Energy Drinks Safe?
1. Do you think government should prevent the sale of these drinks to people under the age of
19? Why or why not?

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2. Do you think warning labels should be placed on the drinks based on what energy drink
makers say is limited evidence? Why or why not?
Fracking for Natural Gas: Clean Energy Solution or Environmental Catastrophe?
1. What is the ethical issue involved with fracking, and why is it so hard to resolve?
Answers may vary. Students should note that some people are concerned about the impact on the
environment. Students should also discuss that fracking has proven to be relatively safe and there are
significant economic benefits which can result from fracking.
2. Examine this issue from the perspective of the gas company as well as from the perspective of
concerned stakeholders.
The position of the gas companies is fracking has proven to be safe and can offer economic benefits.
The position of concerned citizens is that the long term effects remain unknown and there has been
problems and accidents in the past.
3. Why might a government ban fracking when science appears to indicate it can be safely
done?
Answers may vary.
4. Do you think it is fair for some provinces to ban fracking yet turn around and take money
from other provinces who allow for fracking?
5. Use Internet resources and find additional arguments for and against fracking. Present the
findings to the class.
Answers may vary.
BP Disaster Leads to Questions About Ethics and Social Responsibility
1. Are BP’s attempts at compensation enough to change the company’s reputation in the eyes of
consumers?
2. What are the ethical considerations that BP failed to recognize in its management of risks?
3. How important is BP’s reputation for business success?

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Bailouts - Automakers vs. Nortel
1. What are some of the potential pitfalls with bailouts? Do you think the government is acting
ethically when they spend taxpayers' dollars on bailouts? Why or why not?
Answers will vary, students may mention that the auto companies asked the government to give them
$3 million in order to maintain operations and save more than 10,000 jobs, but all 3 companies are
hampered by high wages and continue to suffer from a significant pension shortfall. They ignored
what consumers were looking for in a new car and continued to lose market share. No amount of
government money is going to fix these problems.
2. Do you think Ford, General Motors and Chrysler will survive in the coming years?
Answers will vary, students may mention that management of the 3 auto manufacturers has attempted
to lower costs by renegotiating contracts with labour unions, reducing the number of cars that they
manufacture and are focusing on building the fuel-efficient cars that consumers want. It appears as
though they are trying to establish more sustainable practices that may ensure their future.
3. Does the government have an ethical obligation to invest in Nortel for the betterment of
Canada's scientific community?
Answers will vary, students may mention that while the Canadian government did not provide Nortel
with the funding to remain in business, upon bankruptcy, their assets were auctioned off, including the
rights to their next-generation LTE wireless technology to a Swedish company. If this company
chooses to continue with research on this technology, the global scientific community can still benefit
from Nortel's research.
CASE: Social Media and Privacy
1. Do you think employers should look at people’s social media pages as part of the hiring
process? Do you think employers should monitor employee’s social media sites?
Answer will vary, students may note that screening a person's social media site is a good business
decision especially for employees who will publicly represent the company. Others may argue that
this is unethical and people's social media sites should not be subject to such scrutiny.
2. Who is responsible for privacy on social media sites — the person who posts the
information or the person who visits the site?
Answer will vary, students may mention that while people using social media sites know for whom
their content is intended, it is easily accessible by the general public , including employers/potential
employers. If information posted is potentially damaging to a career or potential employment, an
individual needs to take into consideration who could access this information, and how could it affect
my career opportunities either today, or in the future.
3. Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are valuable business tools. List some of the

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advantages and disadvantages that social media offers to: (1) students looking for a job; (2)
businesses that are trying to market their products; (3) charities that are raising money.
Advantages of Social Media Disadvantages of Social Media
1.
students
looking
for a job
- ability to create new contacts for networking
purposes
-ability to connect with a person within a
company directly (perhaps someone in HR)
- use Twitter to follow a company, gaining useful
knowledge about how the company works.
- designing your own Facebook/ Twitter profile
to be attractive to potential employers.
-Recruiters are starting to use LinkedIn as the
main place for sourcing candidates because it’s
free and the top professionals are on there
(Source: http://mashable.com/2009/01/05/job-
search-secrets/).
- private information posted on such
sites may be viewed by potential
employers (even if you consider it
private and believe it should be
treated as private information)
- even if you sensor what
information you post on your own
site, it is hard to undertake damage
control when you are dealing with
what others post about you and
your good name might be soiled
within hours (source:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Disadvant
ages-of-Social-
Media&id=3026858).
2.
business
es that
are
trying to
market
their
products
- free advertising that has a potentially huge,
global audience.
- when someone on Facebook clicks on the icon
"Like this" product, others can see this and may
then click on the icon to redirect them to the
product's Facebook page where they may then
have the option to either purchase the product or
also click on the "like this" icon, thus spreading
interest of the product to others.
- Social Media Networking is perfect for
customer interaction, customer feedback, and
customer support (source:
http://www.socialmediastrategy.co.za/index.php/
social-networking/what-are-some-advantages-
and-disadvantages-of-social-media-networking/).
- potential for relationship management, product
development, reputation management, and
community building.
- constant site updates may be time
consuming for owners.
- If you intend to build a brand and
a name through social media, you
must be ready to spend time
updating your audience on all the
relevant issues. Once you become
established, you will tend to have a
bigger crowd and it can be difficult
to meet the needs of all people
increasing you labor greatly
(source:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Disadvant
ages-of-Social-
Media&id=3026858).
3.
charities
that are
raising
money
- ability to get your message to a large audience
quickly.
- the best advertising always has been word of
mouth and social media sites generate discussion.
- can redirect people to webpage where they can
donate money directly
- can advertise a charity event
-when someone on Facebook clicks on the icon
"Like this" charity, others can see this and may
then click on the icon to redirect them to the
charity's Facebook page where they may then
- constant site updates may be time
consuming.

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have the option to either donate money or also
click on the "like this" icon, thus spreading the
news of the charity to others.
SUPPLEMENTAL LECTURE
Recycling: A Dilemma for Business Firms
In Canada, the amount of consumer and industrial waste has been increasing regularly. It is expected
that by the year 2010, total municipal solid waste will be 250 million tons. Ecological authorities
frequently tout recycling as a means of slowing down waste and the need for landfill space.
Biodegradable products, those which decompose, are also recommended.
As more companies strive to be ecologically responsible and appeal to consumers by offering “green”
products, some have come to believe that such programs may actually be economically profitable. 3M
believes that developing environmentally safe products is profitable. Since consumers favor these
products, the company implements pollution restrictions ahead of regulatory mandates. One example of
3M’s actions has been to make toilet-bowl brushes from the leftover plastic fibers used in making
Scotch-Brite cleaning cloths. Levi Strauss & Co. is also moving forward with a number of ecologically
friendly products. Among them is a new line of clothing made of recycled beverage containers.
Other companies, including McDonald’s, have advertised the use of recycled paper for take-out bags.
Major retailers such as Wal-Mart and Kroger have provided recycling centers for paper, plastics, and
aluminum. Unfortunately, several recycling centers begun by major business firms have been
discontinued for two primary reasons: (1) the lack of a market for recycled products and (2) the cost of
maintaining the recycling centers. For example, one manager of a major retailing firm pointed out that
people used the recycling bins to dispose of all kinds of unwanted trash and garbage, disregarding the
specific types of materials to be placed in the bins. Every morning, employees had to clean the parking
lot of debris from the recycling bins. People would toss in glass, metal, cloth, and garbage in plastic
sacks—materials not to be deposited in the recycling bins.
Except for aluminum, the market for recycled products appears to be minimal. For example, there is not
enough demand for used newsprint to utilize all the newspapers and paper available (however, demand
for used newsprint is now increasing). Although many paper products advertise that they are produced
with recycled paper, the question is whether consumers will pay more for recycled products or buy those
products simply because they have been recycled.
Some cities, concerned about the declining amount of landfill space, have introduced recycling for trash
and garbage pickup. Those municipalities, as in the case of individual business firms, need an outlet for
materials saved for recycling. Sorting is a requirement for municipal recycling—whether done by each
household or by specialized sorting equipment.
Two trends may lead to increased recycling by consumers and business firms. One trend is charging for
nonrecyclable garbage. For example, some municipalities refuse to pick up nonrecycled trash and
garbage, forcing households to hire private firms to pick up nonrecycled items. Another trend is through
regulation that requires recycling, such as the German Green Point Law, which requires manufacturers
to assume responsibility for the disposal of their packaging.

2-17
When consumers and business firms find it is in their economic interests to recycle, then perhaps
producers will find ways to use recycled products. For example, Pitney Bowes of Canada Ltd. sells
copiers with reusable toner cartridges. Thermo Tech Technologies Inc., another Canadian company,
uses a patented technology to turn organic wastes into animal feed supplements or fertilizers.
Technology also has many innovative uses proposed for recycled plastics—some as reformulated
plastics, others as insulation or building materials. Biodegradability is the main problem with plastics.
For example, a few disposable diaper and garbage bag manufacturers have products that are
biodegradable.
Perhaps the material recycled most successfully is aluminum. The price for recycled aluminum
encourages individuals to save or retrieve aluminum cans. Many persons or organizations earn money
by recycling aluminum.
Recycling, no doubt, is here to stay. Social responsibility on the part of consumers and businesses will
encourage greater use of recycling. Governmental regulation also will spur greater use of recycling in
the future.
Sources:
Jacquelyn Ottman, “A Little Creativity Could Lead to a Big Advantage,” Marketing News, March 27, 1995, p. 11;
Kevin Kelly, “It Really Can Pay to Clean up Your Act,” Business Week, November 7, 1994, p. 141; Clifford
Carlsen, “Garbage Is in Fashion,” San Francisco Business Times, May 12, 1995, p. 3; Laura Litvan, “Going
‘Green’ in the ‘90s,” Nation’s Business, February, 1995, p. 30; Johanna Powell, “Companies Get Their Due for
Public Service,” The Financial Post, November 12, 1994, p. s15.
CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE (SUPPLEMENTAL CASE)
Would You Be the One to Blow the Whistle?
Ethics is concerned not only with an individual’s conduct but also with how an individual responds to
the actions of others. An employee who takes action upon observing improper conduct by a fellow
employee is often referred to as a whistleblower. Having read of the harassment that most often comes
to a whistleblower, however, a person will probably think long and carefully before blowing the whistle.
The case below is a fictitious example used to discuss the ethical problems for employees.
Adam Brown worked in the design engineering department of a manufacturing firm. One of the policies
of the manufacturing firm was that no employee should accept gifts of more than $20 from outside
suppliers or firms. As part of his job, Adam Brown frequently communicated and worked with the
purchasing department in his firm in providing material and equipment specifications for purchases.
Adam’s dealings with Martin Cooper, director of the purchasing department, and other employees of
the purchasing department were friendly and cordial, and all purchases made for the manufacturing firm
seemed to be made in a professional manner.
One day while talking to a sales representative of one of his firm’s suppliers, Adam discovered that
Martin Cooper and his wife had received a free trip to the Bahamas, with all air, hotel, and meal expenses
paid by the sales representative’s company. Adam knew that Martin had not won the trip in a drawing
or sweepstakes, and he realized it was an “under the table” gift to Martin for buying the sales
representative’s products. Accepting such a gift from a supplier was strictly against company policy.
Adam likes Martin, and Adam has no evidence that Martin had given special consideration to the
supplier in selecting the supplier’s products. Also, the supplier’s products have met or exceeded all the

2-18
engineering specifications. Adam rationalizes that most likely the trip was just an expression of
appreciation from the supplier, but he still agonizes about what he should do.
Questions
1. Was Martin Cooper’s free trip an example of unethical business behavior?
While answers may in fact vary for this the answer should be yes.
2. Should Adam report to one of his company’s executives what he had discovered? Or should he talk
to Martin Cooper? Or should he just keep quiet?
Answers may vary but Adam should report the trip.
3. If he decides to do nothing, is Adam guilty of unethical business behavior?
Asnwers may vary. By not reporting the incident students should recognize that Adam is breaching
ethics.

2-19
CHECK YOUR PROGRESS
1. Define business ethics. Who determines whether a business actively is ethical? Is unethical
conduct always illegal?
Business ethics are the principles and standards that determine acceptable conduct in business
organizations. The acceptability of behaviour in business is determined by customers,
competitors, government regulators, interest groups, and the public, as well as each
individual’s personal moral principles and values. All actions deemed unethical by society
are not necessarily illegal, and both legal and ethical concerns change over time.
2. Distinguish between ethics and social responsibility.
Ethics and social responsibility do not mean the same thing. Business ethics relate to an
individual’s or a work group’s decisions that society evaluates as right or wrong, whereas
social responsibility is a broader concept that concerns the impact of the entire business’s
activities on society.
3. Why has ethics become so important in business?
Ethics is important in business because it builds trust and confidence in business relationships.
Unethical actions may result in negative publicity, declining sales, and even legal action.
4. What is an ethical issue? What are some of the ethical issues named in your text? Why
are they ethical issues?
An ethical issue is an identifiable problem, situation, or opportunity requiring a person or
organization to choose from among several actions that must be evaluated as right or wrong.
Ethical issues can be categorized in the context of their relation with conflicts of interest,
fairness and honesty, communications, and business associations.
5. What is a code of ethics? How can one reduce unethical behavior in business?
Codes of ethics, policies on ethics, and ethics training programs advance ethical behaviour
because they prescribe which activities are acceptable and which are not, and they limit the
opportunity for misconduct by providing punishments for violations of the rules and standards
6. List and discuss the arguments for and against social responsibility by business. Can you
think of any additional arguments (for or against)?
For:
1. Business helped to create many of the social problems that exist today, so it should play a
significant role in solving them, especially in the areas of pollution reduction and cleanup.
2. Businesses should be more responsible because they have the financial and technical

2-20
resources to help solve social problems.
3. As members of society, businesses should do their fair share to help others.
4. Socially responsible decision making by businesses can prevent increased government
regulation.
5. Social responsibility is necessary to ensure economic survival: If businesses want educated
and healthy employees, customers with money to spend, and suppliers with quality goods and
services in years to come, they must take steps to help solve the social and environmental
problems that exist today.
Against:
1. It sidetracks managers from the primary goal of business—earning profits. Every dollar
donated to social causes or otherwise spent on society’s problems is a dollar less for owners
and investors.
2. Participation in social programs gives businesses greater power, perhaps at the expense of
particular segments of society.
3. Some people question whether business has the expertise needed to assess and make
decisions about social problems.
4. Many people believe that social problems are the responsibility of government agencies
and officials, who can be held accountable by voters.
Students may develop additional arguments based on their own personal experiences.
7. What responsibilities does a business have toward its employees?
In relations with employees, businesses are expected to provide a safe workplace, pay
employees adequately for their work, and treat them fairly.
8. What responsibilities does business have with regard to the environment? What steps
have been taken by some responsible businesses to minimize the negative impact of their
activities on the environment?
Society expects businesses to take greater responsibility for the environment, especially with
regard to animal rights, as well as water, air, land, and noise pollution.
9. What are business’s responsibilities toward the community in which it operates?
Many businesses engage in activities to make the communities in which they operate better
places for everyone to live and work.

2-21
GET INVOLVED
1. Discuss some recent examples of businesses engaging in unethical practices. Classify these
practices as issues of conflict of interest, fairness and honesty, communications, or business
relationships. Why do you think the businesses chose to behave unethically? What actions
might the businesses have taken?
2. Discuss with your class some possible methods of improving ethical standards in business. Do
you think that business should regulate its own activities or that the federal government should
establish and enforce ethical standards? How do you think businesspeople feel?
3. Find some examples of socially responsible businesses in newspapers or business journals.
Explain why you believe their actions are socially responsible. Why do you think the
companies chose to act as they did?
SO YOU WANT A JOB IN BUSINESS ETHICS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
What has helped drive the increasing awareness of the importance of business ethics and social
responsibility?
Under pressure from employees and consumers, businesses understand the importance of ethical and
social responsibility issues. They recognize that being socially responsible and ethical is good for the
business’ bottom line, as well as for its reputation. As the trend continues to grow, more and more
businesses are likely to employ individuals who are experts in these areas.
ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND EXERCISES
1. Why is it important to act ethically?
Answers may vary. Instructors should reinforce that ethical conduct builds trust among
individuals and in business relationships this validates and promotes confidence about fair
treatment.
2. List and describe some of the major ethical issues that are common in organizations.
Common ethical issues include the following:
Abusive and Intimidating Behaviour - Abusive or intimidating behaviour is the most common
ethical problem for employees. The concepts can mean anything from physical threats, false
accusations, being annoying, profanity, insults, yelling, harshness, or ignoring someone, to
unreasonableness

2-22
Conflict of Interest - A conflict of interest exists when a person must choose whether to
advance his or her own personal interests or those of others.
Fairness and Honesty - Fairness and honesty are at the heart of business ethics and relate to the
general values of decision makers. At a minimum, businesspersons are expected to follow all
applicable laws and regulations. But beyond obeying the law, they are expected not to harm
customers, employees, clients, or competitors knowingly through deception, misrepresentation,
coercion, or discrimination.
Communications - Communications is another area in which ethical concerns may arise. False
and misleading advertising, as well as deceptive personal-selling tactics, anger consumers and
can lead to the failure of a business. Truthfulness about product safety and quality are also
important to consumers.
Business Relationships - The behaviour of businesspersons toward customers, suppliers, and others in their
workplace may also generate ethical concerns. Ethical behaviour within a business involves keeping company
secrets, meeting obligations and responsibilities, and avoiding undue pressure that may force others to act
unethically.
Plagiarism - taking someone else’s work and presenting it as your own without mentioning the
source is another ethical issue.
3. Each year major newspapers and trade periodicals review ethics in business. Ask
students to use Internet resources to find some of the more recent ethical issues being
discussed in the news and have students present a synopsis of the case to the class or
submit the information in writing. Students should identify the major people involved in
the case, the ethical issue at hand and the result to date.
Answers may vary
CHAPTER 2 QUIZ
1. In North America, George an elaborately wrapped gift to a prospective client on their first
meeting, it might be viewed as
A. appropriate.
B. expected.
C. a bribe.
D. a gift.
E. normal.
2. A supplier has offered Karim’s family a free two-week cruise if his firm gets a very large
order from Karim’'s company. The most ethical course of action for Karim to take would be to
A. politely turn it down and discuss the offer with her boss.

2-23
B. accept it if the part in question meets quality standards.
C. ask around and see how her boss handled such offers previously.
D. accept the offer.
E. call the police.
3. A set of formalized rules and standards that describe what a company expects of its
employees is called a(n)
A. code of ethics.
B. opportunity.
C. moral philosophy.
D. guideline.
E. law.
4. If a CEO pressures a manager to engage in activities that he or she may otherwise view as
unethical, there exists an ethical issue related to
A. plagiarism.
B. business relationships.
C. communications.
D. fairness and honesty.
E. conflicts of interest.
5. When the National Post investigated claims about organic food for questionable claims, the
primary area of ethical concern in this case was questionable
A. conflict of interest.
B. communications.
C. product design.
D. business relationships.
E. financing.
Answers 1. c 2. a 3. a 4. b 5. b
BUILD YOUR BUSINESS PLAN
Think about which industry you are considering competing in with your product/service. Is
there any kind of questionable practices in the way the product has been traditionally sold?
Produced? Advertised? Have there been any recent accusations regarding safety within the
industry? What about any environmental concerns? For example, if you are thinking of
opening a lawn care business, you need to be thinking about what possible effects the
chemicals you are using will have on the client and the environment. You have a
responsibility to keep your customers safe and healthy. You also have the social responsibility
to let the community know of any damaging effect you may be directly or indirectly

2-24
responsible for. Draft an outline of your project and list any ethical and social concerns. Is
there a way you can incorporate social responsibility into the marketing of your business to
create an advantage. For example, some lawn care companies market themselves as being
environmentally friendly and charge a premuim.
TERM PAPER OR PROJECT TOPICS
These topics may be assigned as individual or collaborative projects:
1. Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Responsibility Programs for Business
2. A Study of Unethical Business Practices
3. A Survey of Social Responsibility Programs in Corporations (can do a questionnaire survey of local
firms)
4. Environmental Issues and Their Solutions
GUEST SPEAKER SUGGESTIONS
1. A professor or teacher to talk about ethics in business.
2. A representative from a business firm to speak about business ethics, problems with business ethics
in a competitive environment, and importance of business ethics in dealing with consumers.
3. A business communication or English professor or teacher to speak to the class on what constitutes
4. plagiarism, how to paraphrase, and how to use correct documentation.
5. An individual (concerned environmentalist, teacher, professor, etc.) to speak on local environmental
issues.
6. A consumer relations manager to describe consumer relations programs of a local firm.
TEACHING SUGGESTIONS
1. As indicated in “Teaching Suggestions” for Chapter 1, instructors may wish to vary the daily
organization of the lesson. Varying the sequence of activities adds variety to class presentation.
2. At the beginning of the chapter in the textbook and in this Instructor’s Manual, objectives are
provided. Many instructors write the objectives on the chalkboard or on an overhead at the beginning
of the class session and then at the end of the session check off each objective to determine if all the
objectives have been achieved. Educational research indicates students learn more effectively when
there is a summarization or review of the textbook content at the end of class sessions.
3. As a “writing to learn” exercise, allow approximately five minutes for students to write their
thoughts or summary on this topic:
What is the importance of ethics and social responsibility in business today?
The writing exercise can be done with or without the use of the textbook. The purpose of the exercise
is for students to consider the topic and apply the knowledge learned in the reading assignment.
Research indicates that the act or process of writing helps students to retain information. Feedback
may be done by calling on a few students at random to read their writing. Remember, not all
feedback need be for a letter grade; instead, the feedback may be treated as an activity to enhance
learning. For large classes, an alternative to calling on individual students is to break into small
groups and have them share their writing within the small group.

2-25
4. The instructor can lecture using the “Lecture Outline and Notes,” covering all of the chapter content.
An alternative is not to cover the entire chapter but simply to use the PowerPoints to cover main
points of the chapter; then the instructor may have time to use the “Supplemental Lecture” and/or
“Controversial Issue” material provided in this Instructor’s Manual. If students are to have read the
chapter prior to class, then the instructor may spend less time lecturing and more time with additional
material, discussion questions, and boxed material or cases.
5. Use the quiz in the test bank provided. Have students write answers quickly. Then have students
call out the correct answers in unison. Ask if there are any questions about any of the answers.
6. Occasionally, an instructor may wish to give oral instructions or information to reinforce listening
skills. One business professor gives part of her test instructions orally; she believes that teachers
reward inattention by repeating information time and time again. She warns students that she will
give the instructions only once and will not repeat instructions. Her students learn to listen!

Business Ethics
and
Social Responsibility
Copyright 2017 McGraw-Hill Education Ltd.

• L01 Define business ethics and social
responsibility, and examine their
importance.
• L02 Detect some of the ethical issues that
may arise in business.
• L03 Specify how businesses can promote
ethical behaviour.
Learning Objectives

• L04 Explain the four dimensions of social
responsibility.
• L05 Debate an organization’s social
responsibilities to owners, employees,
consumers, the environment, and the
community.
Learning Objectives

Principles and standards that determine
acceptable conduct in business
Business Ethics
Copyright 2017 McGraw-Hill Education Ltd. L01

• The acceptability of behaviour in business is
determined by customers, competitors,
government regulators, interest groups, and the
public, as well as each individual’s personal moral
principles and values.
• Determining ethical behaviour is not as easy as one
may think and often depends on which stakeholder
group an individual belongs.
Business Ethics
L01

• For example, Keystone XL, the controversial pipeline project
that Trans Canada wants to build through the United States.
• Many in Canada favour the project as it will allow oil and gas
quicker access to market and the construction will create
jobs. In addition there are thousands of miles of pipeline
already in existence.
• Yet many environmental groups and past President Barack
Obama opposed the project over concerns it would have on
the environment
For Example
L01

• If you worked in the oil and gas industry would likely consider
the construction of the pipeline as logical and ethical
• Perhaps if you lived in the areas where the pipeline is being
built you would think otherwise.

• For example, General Motors (GM), Ford and Chrysler all
maintain manufacturing facilities in Canada. Due to the
recent recession, these companies laid off thousands of
workers and essentially tore up contracts that they had
negotiated with their employees claiming that this was the
only way to ensure that any manufacturing jobs were left in
the local economies.
• If you worked for these companies in the past couple of
years, would you consider them ethical?
• Ford avoided bankruptcy was their ability to drastically
reduce wages, thus allowing their shareholders to avoid
losing everything they had invested.
• Would shareholders and employees have a different opinion
of Ford?
Other Examples
L01

Social Responsibility
• Business’s obligation to maximize its positive
impact and minimize its negative impact on
society.
• Social Responsibility is growing in importance.
• In a recent poll, 78% of Canadians said they
would quit their jobs to work at a company that
was more environmentally friendly.

ATimeline of Ethical and Social Responsibility Concerns

Laws and regulations encourage businesses to
conform to society’s standards, values, and
attitudes.
• Bill C-198 in Canada- stiffened penalties for
corporate fraud
• Sarbanes-Oxley Act in the United States –after
Enron and WorldCom scandals
Laws and Regulations
L01

Examples include:
• Accounting fraud
• Deceptive advertising
• Unfair competitive practices
• Internet theft
Unethical and/or Illegal Conduct
L01

• Build Trust
• Promote confidence
• Validate relationships
Ethical Conduct HelpsTo:
L01

Concerns about unethical business
practices continue:
• TELUS accuses Rogers of running false advertising
• “Robocall” scandal –involved people being called and told
where to cast their vote stating that the poll had been
changed when it was not the case

Ethical Issue
An identifiable problem, situation, or
opportunity that requires a person to choose
from among several actions that may be
evaluated as right or wrong, ethical or
unethical

• Examine the situation from your stakeholders’ position,
including customers and competitors
• People often need years of experience to accurately
recognize and react to ethical situations
• Ethical situations vary by culture
How to Judge the Ethics of a Situation
L02

• In a recent survey, 40 percent of employers admitted to visiting
social media sites to pre-screen applicants who are applying
for a job. Is it fair to do this without consulting with the
person?

• Tom comes to work and looks exhausted during a
presentation he is giving to clients. Tom’s boss later
visits Tom’s Facebook page where she discovers he was
out partying the night before the presentation. How
should she handle the situation? Should she have
visited Tom’s profile to determine what he was doing
the day before the presentation? Why or why not?

• Overly aggressive financial or business objectives
• Abusive & intimidating behavior
• Conflict of interest
• Fairness & honesty
• Communications
• Business relationships
• Plagiarism
Sources of Unethical Behaviour in Business
L02

Abusive & Intimidating Behaviour/Bullying
L02

Conflict of interest
‣ Advance personal interest over others’ interests
‣ Benefit self at the expense of the company
Sources of Unethical Behavior in Organizations
L02

Bribe
‣ Payments, gifts, or special favours intended to influence
the outcomes of a decision.
‣ A conflict of interest because it benefits an individual at
the expense of an organization or society.
Sources of Unethical Behaviour in Organizations
L02

At the heart of business ethics
• How employees use resources
• No harm to customers
• Accurate representations
• Disclosure
• Recent examples: Activia & Probiotics; Maple Leaf Foods
Fairness & Honesty
L02

• False/misleading advertising
• Deceptive personal selling tactics
• Product safety and quality
• Unsubstantiated claims
• Product labeling
Ethical Concerns in Communications
L02

• The act of taking someone else’s work and presenting it
as your own without mentioning the source
‣ A major problem in schools and business
• Students copying others’ work
• A manager taking credit for a subordinate’s work
• Employees copying reports and passing the work off as their
own
• 73% of high school students and 53% of university students
admitted to serious cheating
Plagiarism
L02

• Relationships with customers
• Relationships with suppliers
• Relationships with co-workers
Ethical Concerns in Business Relationships
L02

Code of Ethics
Formalized rules and standards that
describe what a company expects of
its employees

KeyThings to Consider in Developing a Code of Ethics
L03

Whistleblower
• An employee who exposes an employer’s wrongdoing to
outsiders, such as the media or government regulatory
agency.
• The Canadian Government is hoping to encourage
whistleblowers to inform them about tax cheats.
Revenue Canada is offering whistleblowers a 15%
commission on money collected as a result of tips.
Key EthicalTerm
L03

Ethical Decisions in an Organization are Influenced by
Three Key Factors

1. Economic
2. Legal
3. Ethical
4. Voluntary
Four Dimensions to Social Responsibility
L04

The Pyramid of Social Responsibility
L04

The extent to which businesses meet
the legal, ethical, economic, and
voluntary responsibilities placed on
them by their stakeholders
Corporate Citizenship

• Primarily concerned with profit or ROI
• Financial community at large
• Proper accounting procedures
• Protecting owner’s rights and investments
Stakeholder Relationships: Shareholders
L05

• Provide a safe workplace
• Adequate compensation
• Listen to grievances
• Fair treatment
Stakeholder Relationships: Employees
L05

Consumerism
• Activities that independent individuals, groups and
organizations undertake to protect their rights as
consumers
Stakeholder Relationships: Consumers
Consumers want:
• The right to be informed
• The right to choose
• The right to be heard
In Canada, the Office of Consumer Affairs
supports consumer protection regulation
L05

• Animal rights
• Pollution
Stakeholder Relationships: The Environment
L05

• Businesses are responding to environmental issues.
• Many small and large companies, including the Irving Group,
Suncor, Research in Motion (RIM), Walt Disney Company have
created new positions to help them achieve their business goals in
an environmentally responsible manner.
• Some companies are finding that environmental consciousness can
save them money.
• Lush Fresh Hand-made Cosmetics has averted 6 million plastic
bottles from landfills by selling shampoos in bars and they use
recycled materials in their packaging 90% of the time.
Response to Environmental Issues
L05

• Many firms are trying to eliminate wasteful practices.
• Toronto-based Delta hotels introduced Delta Greens, a national
sustainability program aimed at improving environmental practices.
Response to Environmental Issues (cont...)
L05

Discussion Questions
1. Discuss an ethical situation you have been faced with in the
past. What did you do? What could have done to adhere to
higher ethical standards?
2. Which stakeholder, customers, employees or shareholders
should come first when making business decisions?
3. Would you invest money in online pornography or gambling
companies? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it is ethical to download movies and software?
Why or why not?
5. If you witnessed another student cheating would you tell the
professor? Why or why not? If no, what would encourage
you to ‘blow the whistle’?

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